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Anti-Glock: The Dark Side of Plastic Perfection

The Anti-Glock Talk: A Rebuttal

Last Updated on June 13, 2020, Published on February 17, 2017 by Nate Granzow 109 Comments

Upon hearing about my fellow TAG team member Brian‘s article titled “Do All Roads Lead to Glock?,” I knew with absolute certainty I had to present the other half of the argument and be that guy—the Glock hater. I’m tired of shootists perpetually singing the praises of this platform—it’s the ultimate in reliability, they’re inexpensive, all the pros use them—and I intend to call attention to a few of the downsides. If you read this article and say, “well half of that is just personal preference,” you’re absolutely correct. Take it with a grain of salt. And if you’re a devout Glock lover, a couple ibuprofen, too.

1. Spongy trigger:

Stock triggers on Glocks are like bad employees: They’re creepy, gritty, and inconsistent. Don’t feed me a line about aftermarket modificationsamazon to improve the trigger, either. Yes, I know that Glock, being so popular, has widely available aftermarket parts, many of them inexpensive and easy to install. But if I buy a new car, I don’t want to have to immediately take it to a body shop to have the steering improved, even if it’s cheap to do it.

2. No external safety:

Not a problem for pros. Some would even argue that not having an external safety makes the Glock that much simpler or more streamlined. But pros aren’t the only ones buying Glocks. In fact, newbie shooters seem to gravitate toward the platform based in large part on pop culture (Hollywood action movies and rap songs come to mind), and since they fall well within a new shooter’s modest price range, many end up taking a Glock home as their first handgun. The problem is, a new shooter may lack the trigger discipline necessary to safely operate it. Having those extra manual safeties in place provides a cognitive layer of protection: It forces the shooter to consciously take that external safety off prior to pulling the trigger, and reinforces the notion that the gun is now fully prepared to fire.

3. Unnatural grip angle:

Not the same for everyone, I know. Some people find that the Glock points very naturally for them. For me, when comparing the grip angle and overall “feel” of a Glock to that of, say, a Sig Sauer P225, it’s on par with comparing a wide, lopsided brick to a handful of pizza dough.

4. Poorly manufactured sights:

The Glock’s plastic sights are probably the only parts of the gun that don’t align with Glock’s M.O. of durability and longevity. With regular holstering and unholstering, they may wear out, chip, crack, break, fall out, or otherwise leave you shooting like Paul Hogan in the film Lightning Jackamazon. Yeah, yeah, you’re going to say “well mine haven’t,” or “you can just replace themamazon if they break.” Well, let’s just say I’d prefer to not have to. See #1 for more on that.

The Anti-Glock Talk: A Rebuttal
Photo composite courtesy of thehistoryblog.com (1911) and gunblast.com (Glock 19), respectively.

5. Void of aesthetic appeal:

Most Glock owners grudgingly admit that these guns are dog-ugly (okay, maybe not as bad as the one shown top, which was apparently made by a Russian amateur gunmaker using sawdust and epoxy, and chambered to 9×18 Makarov—yeah, it’s a real gun), but what really makes them unappealing to me is their lack of character. Unlike a blued, steel handgun with walnut grips that just takes on more and more character and patina with time and use (right, above), a used Glock looks about like a new one (right, below). Bland.

Conclusion:

Because I don’t want any death threats over this, I’m going to do a couple things. First, I will reluctantly admit that, in a pinch, I would gladly take a Glock over a rock of similar weight and dimensions. They are reliable, they are plenty accurate for most defensive applications, and they hold an impressive amount of ammunition given their weight. Second, I openly invite you to explain to me (please be civil, I have a fragile ego) why I’m horribly wrong and an embarrassment to the shooting sports in the comments below.

Primary image courtesy of improguns.blogspot.ca

Filed Under: Handguns Tagged With: 9mm, Anti-Glock, bad, better, crappy, Glock, Glock 17, Glock 19, glock 22, Glock 26, Glock 34, hate, polymer, striker fire, Striker-fired, The Dark Side of Plastic Perfection

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About the Author

Avatar for Nate Granzow

Nate Granzow A magazine editor and novelist by trade, Nate has spent years collecting and shooting antique, relic, and modern sporting arms, competing in cowboy-action and long-range blackpowder shoots, shooting trap/sporting clays, reloading, and hunting. He's a staunch believer that the second amendment of the U.S. Constitution is the foundation upon which all other rights are predicated, and is a strong proponent of concealed carry. Check out his novels at www.nategranzow.com.

See All Nate Granzow Articles

Comments

  1. Avatar for Nate GranzowJMB_Fan says

    February 17, 2015 at 4:03 pm

    lilchicka1017 Typically I don’t participate in threads that are TWO YEARS old but your diatribe demands it…Now if this is your opinion than more power to you but unless you can show sources for the following, it’s only your opinion…:

    “their construction is hit and miss (mostly miss) and they have a horrible jam rate…” 

    ME: Source please? I mean really, I have to read this for myself as soon as you provide a link…

    “but most departments have switched to sigs…”

    ME: Source please? Do you have stats of which we can all rfer to speaking to such?

    My point is I could care less if you hate Glock or love them, but unless you have defined sources/links info etc. on what comes across as empirical statements, just preface your remarks by saying I think this, I believe that etc…

    Now my opinion of Glock, they make a damn fine pistol of which I would and do stake lives upon…But I also have SIG’s, Beretta’s, Smith’s etc. of which I would confidently do likewise. Obviously you will find fanboys or, conversely, antis that just do what they do and I am actually cool with that as they proudly proclaim it’s their opinion of such…

    But blanket statements absence a reference will never 1) receive credence and/or 2) find acceptance in Wikipedia (try submitting what you wrote to Wiki’s content and close your eyes…

    Reply
  2. Avatar for Nate GranzowBrutus974 says

    July 11, 2016 at 1:27 pm

    Yeah, but about 2000 rounds, only 2 user-induced failures to feed (fully), and easy to break down and clean. And I fire the cheap aluminum ammo. Also, I like the grip angle.

    (Beats my S&W revolver on reliability, which has had screws work themselves loose and has had to go back due to light primer strikes.)

    Reply
    • Avatar for Nate GranzowRick D says

      July 11, 2016 at 1:35 pm

      If it works well for you and you are comfortable with it , I saw run what you like

      Reply
      • Avatar for Nate GranzowBrutus974 says

        July 11, 2016 at 1:36 pm

        It’s not my favorite to shoot, but it’s the one I’d trust my life to.
        Next gun will probably be a sig.

        Reply
  3. Avatar for Nate GranzowBrutus974 says

    July 11, 2016 at 1:29 pm

    Based on your article, I would not select a glock for a target pistol.

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Nate GranzowLeo Guy says

    July 20, 2016 at 10:57 pm

    Agree about the factory plastic sights, don’t like polymer guide rods neither. Carried Glock 23 15 years of service with 105,000 rounds through it, with few issues.

    Reply
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